This invention relates to a device for controlling consecutive recording of a plurality of independent signals, which contain video information and are supplied from a video camera with a various time space, on a magnetic recording medium in a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus. In this specification, such recording will hereinafter be referred to simply as "consecutive recording of independent video information containing signals" for the sake of convenience.
The VTR for recording and reproducing video and audio signals has a function of making the magnetic tape pause (temporarily stop) in order to record only desirable scenes. However, random pause and resumption of recording (or resumption of recording from the stop mode) will cause a dropout and out-of-synchronization between reproduced pictures at the junction of pictures.
Thus, there has been used so far a "tape rewinding" consecutive recording method in which the magnetic tape is rewound a bit at each pause, and after release from the pause the synchronizing signal supplied from the video camera to be recorded is phase synchronized with a reproduced control signal, and then the normal recording mode is resumed. For example, refer to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 123,644 (filed on Feb. 22, 1980) now U.S. Pat. No. 4,358,797.
In the conventional consecutive recording method, however, the motor, the electric circuitry and the video camera connected to or incorporated into the VTR are continuously powered irrespective of whether the VTR is in the pause operation mode or in the recording/reproducing operation mode, and therefore power will be uselessly consumed.
This useless power consumption in the commercial--AC operated VTR does not matter in particular, but that in the battery (or storage battery)--operated portable VTR becomes serious because the effective recording time with a single fully charged battery is reduced due to the useless power consumption, and as a result, for a necessary battery capacity the volume and weight of the battery are increased, causing a problem in attempts to reduce the size of the device.
Thus, in the prior art device, when a pause operation mode lasts longer than about three minutes, the stop mode is forcibly brought about. However, in the usual situation in which scenes are practically taken with a video camera, one cut of taking a scene is relatively short and the pause period of time is relatively long in most cases, with an undesirable result that some scenes expected to be picked up have not actually been recorded due to voltage drop in a discharged battery.
Moreover, a relatively long time is required to carry out consecutive recording of independent video information containing signals to the effect that adjacent independent video information containing signals are phase-synchronized.